Chelsea showed signs of improvement in Monday's 4-1 win over Tottenham, but they will need to be perfect to get anything from Manchester City on Sunday.
Mauricio Pochettino's men won a chaotic game against Spurs, but greater structure is required against the Citizens, who have won their last five in all competitions.
The champions were last seen dispatching Young Boys 3-0 in the Champions League and will be eyeing another comfortable three points after a routine evening against the Swiss outfit.
City have won the pair's last six meetings without conceding and their recent record hints that they can extend their winning run to six straight games in all competitions.
Chelsea - 4/1
Draw - 27/10
Manchester City - 8/11
Manchester City to win to nil @ 2/1
For all the excitement generated by the win at Spurs, Pochettino's side benefitted from a few VAR calls and some ludicrous defending, with Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie both sent off.
City are unlikely to be as accommodating and their blueprint for Sunday will be October's 3-0 derby win over Manchester United, in which they bullied the Red Devils.
Guardiola's side also beat Bournemouth 6-1 in between the wins over United and Young Boys and seem to have settled into a pattern of pragmatically dominating games, strangling their opponents while never getting out of first or second gear.
After last season's treble, the signs are ominous and another controlled showing is expected at Stamford Bridge, where the hosts have failed to win their last four.
That run includes defeats to nil against Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa and Brentford and the statistics suggest a tough afternoon for the home side.
Erling Haaland Anytime Scorer @ 10/11
City can afford to cruise through games in the knowledge that they can rely on Erling Haaland to grab their goals.
After scoring a brace against United, Haaland limped off in the win over Bournemouth, but allayed any fitness fears with another pair of goals in the win over Young Boys.
After last season's heroics, there is a perception the Norwegian is still to truly get going in 2023/24.
The numbers suggest otherwise, already netting 11 times in the league and on a further four occasions in the Champions League.
Team-mate Julian Alvarez netted twice against Chelsea last season, with Haaland only offered a cameo role in those games.
Forever on a mission to score goals, his current mood suggests he will be able to put things right on Sunday.
Chelsea's Christopher Nkunku is set to return after the international break from the knee injury he sustained in pre-season, while Romeo Lavia is also close to fitness following an ankle issue.
Armando Broja is available again after a knee issue and Reece James should also feature, but Trevoh Chalobah (thigh), Carney Chukwuemeka (knee), Ben Chilwell (thigh) and Wesley Fofana (knee) are all sidelined.
City are without John Stones after he came off at half-time against Young Boys with a muscle issue, but fellow defender Manuel Akanji should feature despite a back problem ruling him out against the Swiss side.
Kevin De Bruyne remains sidelined with the hamstring injury he suffered in August.
Chelsea's victory at Tottenham was just their fourth in the Premier League this season.
Nicolas Jackson scored a hat-trick in that game and is now on five in the league, with former City forwards Cole Palmer and Raheem Sterling both having netted on three occasions.
Chelsea have failed to win their last four at home, drawing 2-2 with Arsenal amongst defeats to nil against Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa and Brentford.
City have won the last six meetings in all competitions to nil, with Chelsea's last victory against the Citizens their 1-0 success in the 2021 Champions League final.
Chelsea wins | 62 |
Draws | 38 |
Manchester City wins | 60 |
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